3 Unexpected Smoky Eye Looks

The smoky eye is our go-to look, but the tried-and-true grey and black combo can get old. Jouer national makeup artist Neil Scibelli gave us his tips for updating the familiar style using bold, unexpected colors so we could rock one of spring’s hottest new trends.

Taupe For Day

“Lots of women don’t think they can pull of a day smoky, but it’s a lot easier to wear than most things,” says Scibelli. Start with a cream-colored base to neutralize any redness and clean up the lower eyelid. (We like Jouer’s Chiffon.) Add some definition by brushing a brown, earthy shade into the crease, and finish the look with a dark brown liner like stila’s Lionfish on both the top and bottom lid, lightly smudging the color along your lower lash line.

Navy For Night

“A silvery white cream color on the inner lid is going to really pop as a highlight on a smoky eye,” says Scibelli. Using a shimmery shade like stila’s Dune, sweep it from the inner corner of the eye along the lash line to the center of the lid. Brush a navy shade, like Jouer’s Caviar, from the outer corner and sweep toward the middle, joining the light and dark sections. Blend the two colors together in the center of the eyelid. To get that true smoky effect, use black shadow in your crease, making sure to blend it completely. Finish by lining your bottom lashes with the same black shadow, then gently smudging the color out.

Plum for Day-To-Night Glam

“Most women think they could never pull off a plum, but it looks good on so many different eye colors,” Scibelli says. Pick a deep eggplant with a tiny bit of sparkle, like stila’s Wisteria. Pat it onto your lower eyelid. Blend a taupe like theBalm’s Sultry into your crease. You can stop there, or if you’re going out, give it extra drama by layering more taupe shadow in the crease, building it to a darker shade. Finish with dark brown or black liner on your top lid.